


Volitional Interpretations

by undernight



Category: Tron (Movies), Tron - All Media Types, Tron: Legacy (2010)
Genre: Kinda AU, M/M, Philosophy, Understanding of human nature, also in fanfiction.net, one-place environment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-14 06:26:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2181390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undernight/pseuds/undernight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a battle with viruses, Sam updates Tron, which turns into Sam's struggle to make Tron understand the subject of "feelings"; one in particular.. kinda AU, Tron doesn't "feel" like humans do. philosophical way to understand love, eh.. pairing:Tron/Sam Oneshot</p>
            </blockquote>





	Volitional Interpretations

**Author's Note:**

> Hello... This is my first ever fanfiction(also in FF.net), in which I put actual effort to pfft. There are possibly big mistakes along with exaggerated use of big words, but I'd appreciate ANY kind of criticism. Other than that, if there are any misuse of tenses, words that don't mean anything, or something that you'd like to discuss(it'd be epic to discuss the subject of emotions) I'm more than welcome. Help me improve... Hope you enjoy this.  
> \- is Sam  
> \+ is Tron

__

* * *

-You didn't seem to follow their moves as smooth as you once did, Tron.

The object of the statement, a good 5 feet away and facing the opposite direction of Sam, was sitting Indian style on a digital blue carpet. The room was dimly lit, exposing the shadows of a peaceful foundation placed in the center of the room, the sound of pouring water lied buried behind their heavy presences. Security program slit open his eyes as he straightened out just ever slightly which could be noticed as an 'uncomfortable action' only by a certain person; out of this world nonetheless sitting in the same room with him.

+They are kind of new, first time seeing suchlike.

Tron's voice was dull and Sam recognised it as a kind of disappointment mixed with secret fury, should the virtual man was able to feel those at all.

-And that means...

The formless question left Sam's lips between his quiet hummings of a song and his gaze was turned to his father's lifetime achievement. He had been writing codes to create some flowers, the room needed a little more designing after all.

+I need time to adjust my circuits.

And Tron definitely needed much more brightness.

-You were programmed differently, so that you could decipher any movement tersely--

+Do I look outdated?

Tron's posture shifted slightly to the left, head turning more to lock an intense but silent gaze to the user behind him. Sam read the question hanging inside those eyes which were ironically looking dark in the horrible lighting of the room, considering how contrary the program thought of his user. Sam turned his head to the job forefront.

\- Should I update you...

Thick anticipation filled the space, the room needed more lighting.

+I do it myself every millicycle.

-Manually.

+...

-Come here.

Sam swiftly stood up from where he was nervously sitting at to welcome the security program in a comfortable position. Tron got up a moment delayed and ambled his way towards him, with hesitant steps; the blonde noted. As he halted just in front of the user, he turned his back and hunched his shoulders a little which was a sign indicating the normally aware assassin had given himself fully to his mercy. Sam's hands instantly clamped down on his disc, a half smile tugging at the user's lips at how easily the antivirus had given up. Sam turned the circle clock-wise for a few centimeters to turn it off, and hovered his hand over the gap to open a 3D keyboard of system menu. He tapped on some keys and finally reached the DNA hologram then started to move his fingertips around the bytes, so the spiral turned upside with the movement, revealing the hidden portions on the limited screen. Tron shifted uncomfortably at the sudden unrest. It electrified him, but he forced his system to remain stable. After a few touches and coding, Sam closed the menu and turned the circle to left, making it light up once more as it gave a click sound of safe placement. Security stretched his neck to his sides in swift motions and shifted a little to curtly nod as a thanks to the man behind. He was embarrassed, the user noted. Silly, could he even feel embarrassment... It was most probably just his system screaming "insufficiency". Sam smiled unconsciously, his eyes narrowing with the warm sensations easing his conscience, but it was unseen by Tron as the epitome of his childhood dream paced forward with relaxed steps to sit where he had been sitting all night.

Sam stood there a moment longer for an unknown reason after sitting down rather harshly. He had questions eating up his brain for a while now, getting closer to the program and feeling him nearby only made them more demanding because every movement, every shifting the program did, gave sudden and most likely false answers to his questions. He could simply ask the guy and accept the answers as they would always be the truths, but he was afraid of not finding what he'd been seeking for inside those words he received. What if..

What

_If.._

-Do you have that strange urge inside you... tingling.. or devouring...-

Tron tilted his head a little to focus intently on the voice as it grew stranger with every word.

-When you...-

Sam flicked close the coding system in front of him, firmly.

-... see me?

Tron froze like a picture, and for a moment Sam thought the guy foresaw a dangerous event coming closer behind the thick glass which was showing a wide vista of the Grid. But the moment he noticed the fading of the colours on the circuits, he decided against it.

_**error identifying the unfamiliar words;** _

_**unknown <definitions>behind.** _

_**stabilizing awareness.** _

_**no threats found.** _

_**the possibility of being a paralogism: 1,039%** _

_**the possibility of a new adjustment by the user 98,961%** _

_**scanning corresponding consequence routes. .. ...** _

_**no record found within the last 500 cycles.** _

_**no record found within the last 1000 cycles.** _

_**one (1) record found within the last 4704 cycles.** _

_**examining the record thoroughly done.** _

_**activate the order; <learn> ?** _

_**...** _

_**b'1': <learn>**_

+What do you mean?

It was an interesting experience, witnessing the momentary collapse of the program, that is. Sam could not quite categorise it as collapsing though, but it was true that Tron visibly stumbled back there. This made his heart skip a beat, if the program recognised the tone of his voice as something to be aware of, there had to be hope somewhere hidden in this world.

Standing up slowly, he stretched his arms behind himself and clasped his hands behind his back, eyes searching the program's coyly with a flick of curiosity beneath them.

\- If I was to familiarize you with the "feelings"... Would it require an incomplex update, or an intricate upgrade?

This was a question directed to himself more than the program before; he noticed it too late after it left his lips but Tron apparently prepared himself the same equation too. He vaguely tilted his head down, even though his attention was heavily engulfed by the user, computing still processed in the background.

+I will have to demand further information.

This was getting serious, Sam could feel it in the air. He gave a light chuckle which sounded too much in the thick silence of the room, his eyes momentarily left Tron's, but he realised he couldn't get them back in their place so he chose to peer around the room, trying to act casual.

-Well, if I had to put it simple, feelings cannot be rationalized, so-

+I can't decipher them.

-Exactly.

Sam finally turned his eyes to Tron's, he wasn't sure what caused the little but heavy embarrassment inside his head in this matter on hand. Was it because he didn't feel equal to such a rational, such a clever virtual being which was now standing in front of him, computing possibilities with a speed close to light? Was it the feeling of inadequacy towards the program he had because it seemed like it wasn't his place to teach Tron  _something_  at all? Dark clouds overpowered the hope inside his eyes. How could he give Tron something that was processed only by human mechanisms, above all?

Sam always thought Grid was the embodiment of materialism, so was it wise to place an abstract term right in the middle of it? Would it just stand there without any connections originated? Most important of all, would Grid lose its singularity? Equilibrium? Source?

Was he ready to make such a revolution that would certainly hold unfathomable occurrences afterwards?

Was he ready for the patience it will take for him while Tron was adjusting?

Was he ready for... the truths?

-Maybe I should clone you first, just to be wary, y'now..

_**...** _

_**command could not be corroborated** _

_What?!_

+What?

-I don't know what will happen to you once I set up those things I call "feelings" in your operating system, Tron.

+You could always make a backup.

-Yes. But I don't like the thought of backing you up.

+Why is that?

-Because... you seem too real for me. I want you to stay that way.

+Want...

-Yes. Synonym of need here.

Tron took his moment for his system to cool down a little, heat started to rise from the horrific amounts of processes functioning in the background which was called 'conscience' by Sam once. What was it the User requested? Were those "feelings" too powerful that they could collapse him?

_**searching the alternative requests under the categorization <too powerful>...**_

_Stop..._

His system couldn't calculate the reason why User wouldn't back him up. He decided it had something to do with "feelings"; they tend to corrupt every aspect of the users, he observed.

* * *

-Would you do anything for me?

+Anything for you.

-Why?

+Because I am for you.

-You are for... protecting the Grid.

+Therefore, you.

-Grid is me?

+Users.

-So you'd do anything for users.

+Right.

-By those means, there's nothing specific you'd do for me and not for the other users?

+There is. I could reach the reprogramming area for you, since you're the admin, but not for the other users.

-I see... Is there someone you could do something special for?

+By special you mean a first?

-First and something unique.

+I act up to the circumstances, if there is something to be done, I calculate and make it happen.

-We'll have a hard time for you to understand feelings.

+...

-What is the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking of CLU?

+Thinking, as in calculating?

-Right, right. Calculating, computing...

+Mind, as in my memory disk?

-Yeah, yeah...

+Threat.

-Do you heat up?

+Yes.

-Defensive purposes?

+Right.

-Specific for CLU?

+Specific for any threat. Defenses increase or decrease, depends on the size of the threat. Therefore the temperature changes according to it.

-What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of... me?

+Kevin.

-..

+?

-Long way to go.. or nowhere to go?...

+Excuse me?

-Asked myself a question with no answer, yet.

Do you heat up when you think about me too?

+Yes.

-In what purpose?

+Overcalculating.

-So... the order! The order of the things that first comes to your mind when you think of me and my father. What is the difference between the two orders?

+When I think about Kevin, I first think about my purpose.

-So the purpose you see in me is... my dad?

+Right.

-How can I get rid of that judgement, Tron?

+Is this a judgement? I'm not too sure.

-It is, in my opinion.

+There has to be a connection between those "feelings" and your opinions in general. They seem to cloud the realities and your way of contemplating.

-... You never cease to amaze me.

+...Thanks.

-Did you... was it? Were you... flattered?

+Flattered as in fulfilling my purpose?

-Right, right. Your purpose.

 So some feelings can be rationalized too.. maybe a way of idealizing for humans... changes for the programs and suits their way of thinking..."calculating".

+...

-Monologues.

+I write each of them into my memory, so that I can judge them when I comprehend those things you call "feelings".

-We could have a talk about it later.

+Are there no feelings in Grid?

-No, just substitutes. But "love", it is kind of... hard to put it into words. And it is the most important feeling I want you to understand because...

_Stop right there Flynn._

+Because?

-Eh, nothing, nothing yet.

+...

-I wonder where to start. 

+How about starting with identification of the feeling, "love".

-Were you interested in it because of my secret?

+Yes. You seemed unfamiliar for a moment, almost like, I couldn't recognise you.

-Feelings change people, I always thought like that.

+So "love" changed you?

-You supposed I've felt "love" just now?

+Yes, haven't you?

-It is my secret, Tron. Can't tell you which feeling is there.

+Okay... Will you start identifying?

\- Yes. Starting with love, then.

+Listening.

-Love is a "feeling" you hold for a specific person. It varies differently according to the amount of it. But I won't go there, which is called "liking", a lighter and more common version of "love". Love is rare, more unique and can be held only for one person in a time being.

+So love can vanish after a while?

-This is debatable. Later. I want you to comprehend the meaning itself, first.

+I should, therefore.

-And last, maybe. Because if you do, the others will come along too. Love, makes you do whatever the other wants you to do.

+Want as if need too?

-Need, order.

+I can do whatever you want to do.

-Voluntarily.

+As long as you order, I do. I wouldn't think otherwise.

-My way is your rational way, then?

+Could contradict my version of "truth" or "right", but this can never hold me back from fulfilling your order.

-Amazing you can see that.

+And?

-And love, would make you want to stay by the person you hold it for.

+I stay with you all the time.

-Do you want it?

+Do I need it?

-Yes.

+Do I... I could answer yes. Your orders are my priority above anything else.

-Love can make you... do things for your lover, the one you hold love for, without seeking any profits.

+I can.

-I doubt that. We could count "fulfilling your purpose" in profit category.

+But I can't do the otherwise.

-Do you ever think of doing the otherwise?

+No.

-So there is something blocking your calculations.

+Quarantines?

-Yes! Love requires free will, Tron..

+... Those quarantines were put by Kevin, so that I don't turn into a virus.

-So that you can stay loyal and work for only one purpose.

+That's right. But I have a question, what kind of changes love make in you? Aren't there any profits you earn from loving someone?

-That's a great question Tron.. Hmm, let's see.. I think the pleasure that comes from the feeling of love can be counted as a profit. Even though it hurts, but you are kind of immune when you fall in love and..

+... and?

-And… You don't wanna get hurt.. I think there's a profit… yes. And…

And I understand better now… I..

Tron stood there, scrutinizing the facial expressions the user was making. It seemed as though he was in pain, then relief, then his eyes widened to look back at his own. Tron tilted his head back instantly, willing to learn whatever was coming next.

"Yes, Tron. We... love has profits. And... it's very close to your understanding."

Tron smiled, his system decreasing the processes as the whole mess dissipated into long and relatively right equations.

* * *

-So... Were you able to rationalize "love"?

+I guess I did.

-How about my little secret, do you want to know it?

+Will you change into that unfamiliar version of you again?

-... I love you, Tron.

+"Love" as if overcalculating...

-Could that be...

Do you love me then?

+Yes, Sam, I love you.


End file.
